No wonder ThinkPads are so expensive here...

[jamess]

I've just learned that there are only about 8000 ThinkPads sold per year in our whole country (pop. of 2 Mio). And only apx. 30 of these are X models.

Now it's no wonder that they're so expensive here (for such a small qty. distributors really don't get good prices I guess).

For instance the same X61 Tablet that I ordered here for 2700 EUR = 3721 USD, costs rougly above 2300 USD in the States. It's a pitty, I could get two for the price of one + all the options that are not available here

Does anyone know an apx. number of how many ThinkPads are sold in the US per year? I am just curious...

EDIT: I did a CTO on US Lenovo site for a comparable model to mine in EU and the price is about 2300, not 2000 as i first thought.

[stylinexpat]

If you or anyone else need anything from Taiwan then I can help. Prices here are very competitive.

[jamess]

Thanks for letting me know, but I am good for know.

However, I am aware of the business facts and can understand why Thinkpads are so expensive here. The smaller the ordered quantity, the higher the price...

Where exactly are ThinkPads produced/put together?

[pphilipko]

They're all made in China now.

[jamess]

I know that in China, but where? China is BIG

[qviri]

You mean China isn't just a big city?

[jamess]

As far as I know, China has many big cities, but I doubt that Lenovo factories reside in any of those... say in downtown Beijing

[pianowizard]

For instance the same X61 Tablet that I ordered here for 2700 EUR = 3721 USD, costs rougly above 2000 USD in the States.

No wonder so few Thinkpads get sold in your country!

[jamess]

Price is one thing, but our total country population is much less than practically any of your cities And so - for starters, the target group for thinkpads and notebooks in general are is very very small/limited.

And because so few are sold, the prices are high. That's what I am guessing. However, prices are almost equal in the majority of the European union. Same unit costs a tad less in Germany for instance. And I bet they sell many thinkpads there.

EDIT: I did a CTO on Lenovo US site and the price of a similar model/options would be a bit more, about 2300 USD, but still FAR away from the higher I-don't-like-it EU price

[f.bazyk]

Actually, prices in EU are just plain higher. This is so just for every electronic product you can think of.
The lowest prices are in China, then USA. In Russia they're somewhere inbetween USA and EU.

However, ThinkPads have always been quite a luxury product compared to some less legendary vendors, and in Russia and EU there is a trend to pay a huge premium for a luxury, compared to USA, where premiums are just smaller (not considering Apple tho ).

[tomh009]

For instance the same X61 Tablet that I ordered here for 2700 EUR = 3721 USD, costs rougly above 2300 USD in the States. It's a pitty, I could get two for the price of one + all the options that are not available here (...)

EDIT: I did a CTO on US Lenovo site for a comparable model to mine in EU and the price is about 2300, not 2000 as i first thought.

Is your local price including VAT? (The US prices never include the sales taxes.) If that's the case, the difference is smaller yet, as the pre-tax price of your ThinkPad would be down to about US$3000 ...

[Mack]

If you or anyone else need anything from Taiwan then I can help. Prices here are very competitive.

Hi, I agree prices are very competitive in Taiwan. I am living in Taipei right now. However, the x61s doesn't seem to be available here, only the x61. Lenovo custumer service says: "we don't know anything, just wait and see if it pops up on our website." They do have an advertisement on their website where both x61 and x61s are mentioned. And they still sell the older x60s...

stylinexpat, do you happen to know if and when x61s is available in Taiwan? I really don't understand why... it's getting on my nerves.

[jamess]

Yes, the price of 3700 USD in EU includes VAT. However, the price difference is still quite substantial - about 700 USD.

[vkyr]

Thinkpads are generally by far overprized in europe, if compared with the US market.

A Thinkpad X61s UL UK383GE for example costs ~2100 EUR in germany, but only ~1300 US$ in the USA (...you can buy two of them on the US market for the european price). The only difference here would be, that in europe you would have mostly 3 years warranty. - However, the price differences for the new X61Tablets are even higher.

Another problem that rises up from these high Lenovo price differences among countries is, that many resellers on ebay startet to sell instead US or other localized Thinkpads on the german and european market with relabeled keyboards (or just poor stickers on the keyboards) in order to offer them cheaper and to make more profit out of them.

All in all the new Lenovo Thinkpad models are actually still too much overprized in europe, which doesn't make it attractive to buy one.

[jamess]

HPs in Europe have better prices and are much cheaper. Of course, you can't really compare HP to Lenovo, at least in my experience.

The last HP i've used was a bad idea, at least I was unlucky. Hinges were squeaking after only a year or so and when i took it in for warranty repairs, they simply returned it and said it was a bad construction/plastic /material and that they won't be changing those parts as no new/different parts were available.

[stylinexpat]

If you or anyone else need anything from Taiwan then I can help. Prices here are very competitive.

Hi, I agree prices are very competitive in Taiwan. I am living in Taipei right now. However, the x61s doesn't seem to be available here, only the x61. Lenovo custumer service says: "we don't know anything, just wait and see if it pops up on our website." They do have an advertisement on their website where both x61 and x61s are mentioned. And they still sell the older x60s...

stylinexpat, do you happen to know if and when x61s is available in Taiwan? I really don't understand why... it's getting on my nerves.

I also asked about the X61S and was also told that they did not have them and were not sure if they would get them in. I think IBM Notebooks in Taiwan aare not easy to sell due to s much competition from other local manufacturers and since they are now made in China they have to import them and pay duties on them so they only import the ones that they think may or will sell well for them. As you know here in Taiwan there are lots of other laptop computers that offer more features then the X61 does for the money. Most laptops have better screens and a built in Webcam as well.

[jamess]

Most laptops have better screens and a built in Webcam as well.

First part is a sad reality, but the second (a built in webcam) really isn't too much of a "business" necessity IMO. I mean it can't bother if you have one, although it's probably just another useless gimmick if you use computer mainly for office use. That's just how I think of it, other people probably love it so that they can chat and MSN/skype loads...

[bhtooefr]

First part is a sad reality, but the second (a built in webcam) really isn't too much of a "business" necessity IMO. I mean it can't bother if you have one, although it's probably just another useless gimmick if you use computer mainly for office use. That's just how I think of it, other people probably love it so that they can chat and MSN/skype loads...

Actually... a webcam can be a BAD thing in a business setting. Many businesses won't allow cameras into some areas - and that includes the cameras on cell phones or built into laptops.

[Mack]

Hi, I agree prices are very competitive in Taiwan. I am living in Taipei right now. However, the x61s doesn't seem to be available here, only the x61. Lenovo custumer service says: "we don't know anything, just wait and see if it pops up on our website." They do have an advertisement on their website where both x61 and x61s are mentioned. And they still sell the older x60s...

stylinexpat, do you happen to know if and when x61s is available in Taiwan? I really don't understand why... it's getting on my nerves.

I also asked about the X61S and was also told that they did not have them and were not sure if they would get them in. I think IBM Notebooks in Taiwan aare not easy to sell due to s much competition from other local manufacturers and since they are now made in China they have to import them and pay duties on them so they only import the ones that they think may or will sell well for them. As you know here in Taiwan there are lots of other laptop computers that offer more features then the X61 does for the money. Most laptops have better screens and a built in Webcam as well.

Unfortunately, not many laptops have a great thinkpad keyboard, sturdy buildquality, and a trackpoint. The trackpoint is actually one of the things that I find superior to a touchpad... I am hesitant to buy a regular x61 though, since I know a better screen, as well as battery life, is available with the x61s.

[bowkatz]

Yep ThinkPads are quite expansive in the European Union. I bought mine X61T in Austria and paid aprox. 3500 Euros (4.820 USD)
But I can't imagine that there are so view ThinkPads are sold...
At least in Austria there have to be more ThinkPads around.
I'am really bankrupt after buying that Laptop...

[stylinexpat]

I am not sure on how long you keep your laptop for but if you plan on keeping it for 2 years or so then most laptops out there will do well for 2 years time. I do agree that the feel and built quality of the casing and that lovely little red pointer on that keyboard is much better then most others out there (not to forget the keyboard). I am not sure on Tablet prices here in Taiwan because I never really looked into those but I do know a bit more about the X61 prices and the fact that currently there is not X61S here in Taiwan.

[jamess]

I guess it depends what you use your ThinkPad for. If you use it for business and have some serious work on it, the laptop has to be, before everything else - realiable. That is no keys pop out of keyboard, HDD is good etc. And even if it's for two years only. As I said, depends what you use it for. If you make "business" (and money) by using it, then IMO it's worth paying a bit more.

If however one uses laptop only to "have a laptop" and doesn't really need it or only plays games on it, then i guess they'd be better of with a Quad processor in Acer,Solonote or other XY laptop brands.

[phongdt]

Yep ThinkPads are quite expansive in the European Union. I bought mine X61T in Austria and paid aprox. 3500 Euros (4.820 USD)
But I can't imagine that there are so view ThinkPads are sold...
At least in Austria there have to be more ThinkPads around.
I'am really bankrupt after buying that Laptop...

Oh my God. I already thought that in Vietnam where I live we have to pay premium to get the notebook, but can never imagine the price you paid. It's way way way too expensive. I'm thinking may be to buy the machine here and export to Austria to get some good profit.

BTW, I bought my X61 for USD2000.

[tomh009]

Yes, the price of 3700 USD in EU includes VAT. However, the price difference is still quite substantial - about 700 USD.

Right -- so the US prices are 20-25% lower.

Not unusual, though: many cars are 30% less expensive in the US than in Canada, and those are 100% identical models. Yet another artifact of the eroding value of the US dollar ...

[crashnburn]

If you or anyone else need anything from Taiwan then I can help. Prices here are very competitive.

Kinda off topic but I was just curious.

StylinExpat - Where did you EXPAT from ? and To? How is expat life for you?

- Are the prices lower than US prices? By how much?
- How can you help ??..

PS: I might be considering an opportunity to do the expat thing in singapore. Lets see.

[naclx]

Actually, prices in EU are just plain higher. This is so just for every electronic product you can think of.
The lowest prices are in China, then USA. In Russia they're somewhere inbetween USA and EU.

However, ThinkPads have always been quite a luxury product compared to some less legendary vendors, and in Russia and EU there is a trend to pay a huge premium for a luxury, compared to USA, where premiums are just smaller (not considering Apple tho ).

There may be a misunderstanding on price. In fact, Thinkpad in China is more expensive than in US, and so many Chinese users are puzzled about it. E.g. the price of the cheapest X60(T5500/512M/80G/no fingerprint reader/ 4cell battery) in China is over $1300.

[pianowizard]

In fact, Thinkpad in China is more expensive than in US, and so many Chinese users are puzzled about it.

And on top of that, we have 10% or even 15% off coupons fairly frequently.

[stylinexpat]

I just arrived into Shanghai this evening and if you thought prices of the X61 or T61 and China would be cheaper then you better think twice. Best Buy sells the X61 with a 1.8 Cpu at 13,500 RMB do the math and you are looking at around $1800 for a basic X61 which is not cheap. The X61 is cheaper in Taiwan then it is in Hong-Kong or China. Kind of weird as they are made here and then shipped to Taiwan after Will most likely end up getting mine in Taiwan since the price is best in Taiwan. What seems to be really hot here in Asia now is those new thin Sony Laptops that were just recently released with the new LED screen and built in Webcam. Only bad thing is the CPU is only a 1.2 Core 2 Duo If I remember correctly.

[vkyr]

Here is a list of prices for different X61/X61s/X61T models for the german market...

http://www.heise.de/preisvergleich/?fs= ... =0&y=0&in=

...every actual X-series notebook or tablet which is slightly better equipped costs over ~ €2000.-, a X61T with SXGA+ panel starts at around €2400, a X61s 1.6 GHz with UltraLight panel around €2300 etc.

The only chance to get a good X-series model in germany somehow cheaper is via education purchases, as far as one is student or has some educational status. Educational models are sometimes up to €400.-/€500.- cheaper than regulary.

Rebate, coupons, BTO...? What's that, seems to be unkown terms for Thinkpads and Lenovo in europe.

[stylinexpat]

I should start exporting X61 notebooks from Taiwan Since they come with a 3 year International Warranty people abroad should still be safe Shipping charges is what would probably make up for in differences before import duties and insurance